


Grandkids

by DeckofDragons



Series: Celebrating the New Year, New Decade, and 100+ Followers Drabble Event [11]
Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: Baby sitting, Exhaustion, Fluff, M/M, discotrain, the Conductor needs a nap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22385602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeckofDragons/pseuds/DeckofDragons
Summary: DJ Grooves offers to watch the Conductor's grandkids to give him a much needed break.
Relationships: The Conductor/DJ Grooves (A Hat in Time)
Series: Celebrating the New Year, New Decade, and 100+ Followers Drabble Event [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1599667
Comments: 4
Kudos: 141





	Grandkids

**Author's Note:**

> A request from my drabble event on tumblr from an anon:
> 
> "dj grooves offering to watch the conductors grandkids? if you’re still doing prompt requests"

The Nanny had been gone for a whole _week_ now because she’d broken her arm and leg in an accident. She was _far_ from being recovered too. How the _hell_ was the Conductor supposed to last until she was? He was already at his wit’s end.

He _had_ to bring the grandkids to work with him because he couldn’t just stop filming when in the middle of a making a movie. One or two days in a row of this was fine, a bit more stressful than normal but fine. A whole week though had him about ready to explode. They needed to be fed, bathed, clothed, entertained lest they start crying, and kept out of danger which they seemed drawn to like magnets especially now that they were mastering the art of walking. It was _exhausting_.

“Could you kids do me a favor and take a nap please?” he asked as he settled down in his dressing room for a ‘break’. They were playing with stuffed animals and a couple chew toys but that could change in a blink of an eye. He needed to watch them, make sure they didn’t do anything to put themselves in danger or fight over something. It was _also_ almost time to feed them. They needed to be monitored during _that_ too otherwise they’d make a mess. So this wasn’t really a break at all. The only breaks he’d had for the past week was when they were all sound asleep. “I know naptime is still hours away but… please for grandpa.”

They didn’t comply of course. So the Conductor started the coffee pot. Caffeine was the only thing keeping him going. Before the pot was even a quarter of the way full though a knock came on the door. Great, just what he needed right now.

“Who is it and what do you want?” he yelled back. If one the owls had come to him with another _issue_ they were too dimwitted to handle themselves he was going to strangle somebody, possibly stab them too.

“It’s me.” DJ Grooves. “And I don’t want anything in particular, just to chat.”

“I ain’t in the mood to chat.”

“Ah, come on darling, we haven’t spoken in ages.”

Not in the mood to shout through the door, the Conductor marched over and opened it. “That’s because I’m _busy_.” He didn’t have time to do anything but work and watch the grandkids.

“Yeah, I uh heard about the Nanny. Give her my best regards next time you talk to her, I hope she recovers soon. … Hey little ones.” The last part was addressed towards the Conductors feet; the grandkids had waddled up to stand around him and look up at Grooves.

They pointed at him, smiling and taking turns saying, “Penguin,” because that was one of the few words they knew and they liked Grooves for whatever reason. And they were liable to attempt escaping if the door was left open too long so…

“Is that what you wanted to say? Are we done now?” the Conductor said.

“Well uh… that is the main thing but… can I come in?”

The Conductor groaned, making sure his displeasure was known even as he stepped back to let Grooves in. He was _way_ too tired to deal with this but he needed to close the door and letting Grooves in would at least entertain the kids for a bit. And it’s not like he had anything better to do while he waited for the coffee machine to finish.

Grooves gave the Conductor a concerned expression as he closed the door. “You look _exhausted_ darling, you need a…”

“Of _course_ I’m exhausted,” the Conductor interrupted, snapping back around to face him. “I’m trying to film a movie and take care of a whole _horde_ of grandkids all on me own.” Frustrated, he started pacing. “None of me owls are any help either because ain’t none of them ever even held a young child before and they get all upset and _whiny_ every time they get their pecking feathers pulled even a little. And don’t even get me _started_ on how much they cry when they get _bit_ ‘cause me grandkids don’t like none them because of how nervous and flighty they are around them. I can’t even pecking _drink_ because can’t do that in front of the kids _and_ …”

Grooves put his hands on the Conductor’s shoulders, stopping him in his tracks and pulling him back around to face him again. “I get it. You need a break? I can watch them for a few hours if you need me to.”

The Conductor opened his mouth to tell him ‘no’ and ‘get your hands off me’ but… Grooves was good with them and they liked him. So… “Really? You’d watch them for me?”

With a nod, Grooves pulled his hands back. “Yes, I’d love to.”

“They’re a lot work. They like to get into things and make messes and bite each other and anyone who tries to _stop_ them from biting each other. You’ll also need to feed them because they’re feeding time is in half an hour. _That’s_ a lot work too.”

“I can do that. I’ve babysat a few times in my life, it’s been a while I can handle it.”

“Why though?” The Conductor would never offer to watch anyone else’s children especially now that he knew how much _harder_ watching kids was when one didn’t have a partner to help.

“Well because I like them and because I see you are in _desperate_ need of a break. You’re running yourself ragged, it’s not good for you. So go take a nap, let me watch them for a bit.”

The Conductor should decline on principle because it was Grooves. But… the mere mention of a nap was enticing to say the least; his head hurt with a headache that had been growing stronger for the past few hours and lying down in a dark room would feel _so_ good right now. So… “Sure… uh… thanks.”

“You’re welcome. And I’d be willing to watch them anytime you need me to until the Nanny’s recovered, all right?”

“Careful, I might have to take you up on that offer.”

“Feel free to. Now go take a nap, I got this.” Grooves put a hand on the Conductor’s shoulder to guide him to the door. “I’ll see you in a few hours, okay?”

The Conductor grunted in agreement as he stepped out of the room. He knew the _perfect_ spot to take a nap in: a little alcove in the basement that he’d caught Grooves napping in a few times in the past and vice versa. The two of them seemed to be the only ones who knew about it. Thus, there was very little chance he’d be disturbed. … He owed Grooves big for this and the fact that he didn’t even care about that was a testament to how much he needed it.


End file.
